His heart has been very badly strained, and recently, and such a
case of meningitis I have rarely seen. Of course he had the advantage
of careful treatment; but you may treat and treat as you like, if the
heart is weak and nervous and strained, it may stop while the rest of
the body has strength enough left to go on for weeks. I suppose they
are engaged to be married?'
'Of course.'
'Did you hear her cry out that she would come in? Her mother's
excellent propriety would have kept her out. But the young lady knew
better than any of us how to save his life.'
Rex did not answer at once, and when he did, he turned the subject.
Soon afterwards he went away, for he felt that he must be alone in
order to think over what had happened and to regain his natural
equanimity.
He had not the slightest doubt but that Greif would now recover
quickly, and it seemed very probable that in that case he would no
longer hesitate to marry Hilda. At the thought of her, Rex experienced
a disagreeable sensation which even he could not understand at first.
Hitherto, his chief preoccupation had been the marriage, and scarcely
an hour had passed, so long as he had hoped that Greif would live, in
which he had not contrasted the happiness in store for his brother, if
he took Hilda, with the misery he would have to encounter if he
persisted in his quixotic determination.
And now that Rex had seen this girl, of whom he had heard and thought
so much during the last ten days, he wished it were possible that Greif
might remain Greif without her love.
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